In El Valle de Antón (Anton Valley), we planned this trip, Jerry came up with going to La Gloria Waterfall and, well, none of them had gone, so, it was a great idea.
Also, days later I returned to La Gloria. La Gloria Waterfall is in Capira, although you enter through Chame.
On the way to La Gloria Waterfall
The trip began early in the morning, once we arrived in Sora we changed cars and we got into a 4×4 car that was waiting for us, on the way almost everyone went on the roof, I was the only one who stayed in the part from below hahaha.
We arrived until a point (from here you can see the Waterfall) by 4×4 car and from there we had to hike about 10 minutes to reach the house that leads to the Waterfall (sometimes the car get until the house).
We arrived, we settled in, some left things they didn’t need for the waterfall, while so many of us enjoyed some torregitas.
They don’t offer food in the house, but Mrs. Medina (from Nativa Waterfall) can go and cook, of course with a previous booking.
Ready it was time to go to the waterfall, one of the man of the house accompanied us and guided us throughout the tour.
From the house to the waterfall it is 5 minutes, the truth is super close and since hiking along the river you can get there directly without going through a private area, of course, for $2.00 you have where to get, change clothes, use the bathroom and a person who will take you to the different spots of the waterfall, so it is not bad and it helps the economy of the locals.
La Gloria Waterfall
We arrived at the waterfall, it is impressively high, it is difficult to take a photo of it and you can see how high it is, we went up the rocks to the first level, we took some photos and we enjoyed the place.
We really enjoy every point. In the lower part it is not very deep, it reaches my waist.
Then I lost Jerry, the people informed me that I had advanced and had said to follow him, well, look for my things and we advanced.
Luego se me perdió Jerry, los chicos me informaron que había avanzado y había dicho que lo siguiéramos, pues, busque mis cosas y avanzamos.
Knowing other parts of the waterfall
The trail has quite steep parts that you have to climb with rope, and there is even a part where you go up a ladder.
I can’t explain how I felt, but I was literally shaking with fear, I thought the ladder was going to slip and go down the whole waterfall, which probably won’t happen but hey, the 3 times I went through there, pass shaking hahaha.
We reached the highest part of the waterfall, if you go up, be careful with the edge, a person fell from there and died.
We should never have gone up, so Jerry punished us and we did not continue with the tour, he had gone up to see how the place was and make sure he could take us.
So I kept thinking that there was more there, he just told me that there was a place where we could jump.
As I returned days later, I could do the whole route, so here I tell you.
At the highest part of the waterfall you can see a waterfall, they told me that it has no name, so I named it Jimara (my name), hahaha.
Then we continue going up a little more, before our eyes another Waterfall appears, this one is called La Tulivieja and on the right side we can see another, with little water, called La Hija de la Tulivieja (Tulivieja´s Daughter).
From La Tulivieja people can jump, it is a small waterfall, but it has shallow waters, it is always good to see how deep is the water before jumping.
As you know, I have not yet jumped into waterfalls, so I enjoy the place from below.
Back
We continued hiking, as that day there was another group and to avoid crossing or rather interrupting them, we took another route, so we continued going up, until we reached a point that is like a viewpoint, because from there you can see the mountains, even the Trinidad Hill.
In this part, everything is very different, the floor is quite flat and it even looks like a bed.
From there we had to go down, but it was quite steep, so we went down in a zigzag hahaha, right at the end we reached the entrance of the house.
The lunch
We rested, some tried to catch a chicken, which they could not, thank goodness, the food did not depend on them hahahaha, we changed our clothes and had lunch, the first time was rice, stewed chicken and beans, and the last time was rice with pork, both with orange juice.
On the last trip one of the adventurers had a birthday, so we brought her a cake, and despite the way and the jumps, the cake arrived in an acceptable condition.
It was a great surprise for the birthday young woman, since she did not expect it.
It was time to go back, we hiked to the meeting point and almost like clockwork the car came to pick us up, they are quite on time.
On my first trip, I dared to go up on the roof, in fact we all got on, but I was scared because I thought I was going to fly out of there.
Yet it is very funny, I laughed a lot, I saw a sloth that was in a tree, but I prefer to travel inside the car.
Advices
- Wear hiking shoes
- Water shoes or sneakers (the river has rocks),
- If you are going to go around the field, it is better to wear light clothing, such as exercise clothes, long pants, not jeans.
- Bring water,
- Complete change clothes,
- Sunscreen,
- Snacks,
- Bag for your garbage.
Prices
- $2.00 fee entrance – adults and one person takes you to the waterfall.
- $1.00 fee entrance- children.
- $60.00 4×4 car (cost per group), generally they give a cost per group and the cost can vary.
- $5.00 lunch, you have to call to reserve it to Medina family.
- $1.00 torregitas, this lady has cooked it for us on other trips and they are delicious, you have to reserve them (Medina Family) and you can eat about 3 each person.
- $1.00 bag of mandarin.
- From $45.00, tours with guide, lunch, transportation from Sora and also with a visit to Nativa Waterfall.
How to get to La Gloria Waterfall?
Head down the Pan-American Highway to Bejuco, Chame. Enter through the Texaco Fuel Station, take the 2nd street on the left, then the 1st on the right, continue all the way until you reach the town of Sora (20 minutes).
Right at the store (mini-supermarket) you can hire a 4×4 car and indicate that you are going to La Gloria Waterfall and after arriving, you must indicate what time he should pick it up.
You can also contact the Medina Family, to help you with transportation.
If you have a 4×4 car, after the town of Sorá, you must take the first street on the right, continue straight until you see a bus stop (at the moment it is green).
Then take the street on the left and from there I suggest you consult with local people and then more left is to stay on the right, as seen on the map, the road is not marked.
From Sorá to the waterfall it is approximately 1 hour, then you have to hike about 15 minutes until you reach the waterfall.
If you go by bus, you can take one from the Albrook Bus Terminal that take you at the entrance of Bejuco (Texaco Fuel Station), walk inside, a few meters away there is a bus stop, where you can take one on the way to Sorá.
Then hire a 4×4 to take you to La Gloria Waterfall and collect you back.
Contacts
- Anibal, owner of the house in La Gloria: (507) 6571.6791.
- Medina Family: (507) 6706.6181.
- For tours: Jerry of Traveling Souls Panama (507) 6153-8924 (WhatsApp), info@travellingsoulpanama.com
Other places you may like
- Saca Lágrimas Waterfall and Buena Vista – Chicá Trail (part 1)
- Knowing Filipinas Waterfalls
- Rappel at Los Golondrinos Waterfall and Buena Vista-Chicá Trail (part 2)
- Knowing Nativa Waterfall
- A Day at Los Cajones of Chame
- Altos del María, a Fairytale Place
- Hike to the top of Chame Hill
- How to get to La Gaita Hill
